The fourth guest post for this Blog.  I was going to post this one over the weekend, but I held back, because I hoped it might provide food for thought this holiday week as we all prepare to visit with family and friends.  I face a 200 mile round trip journey-- How about you?  Will you make the trip fuel efficiently? 

Once again, it is with great pleasure that I introduce Clair Schwan of Frugal Living Freedom, he has kindly composed a four part series on an important topic, saving money on gasoline usage [Here is the link for the first and second parts, Guest Post: Ways to Get More MPG (Part I), Guest Post: Ways to Get More MPG (Part II) and Guest Post: Ways to Get More MPG (Part III)].  Check out his site, here is my review, Blog Review: Frugal Living Freedom.  If you want to view my automotive and fuel savings related posts, start with this post, Automotive Posts Revisited.  --DDFD

Here we are at the finish line of this four-part guest post about getting more miles per gallon.  Of these last suggestions, two are easy and two aren't so easy at all.  But as you can imagine, the most difficult to implement also hold the greatest potential for improved miles per gallon.  Let's dive in.

Get better fuel economy with this fourth set of simple and not-so-simple ideas. First the easy ones.

1. Keep your car serviced-- for all vehicles, this means a clean air filter and fuel filter so the engine isn't working harder to draw in air, and fuel delivery is optimal for complete combustion.  For older vehicles, this means a regular tune-up to ensure proper timing of the ignition.  For any vehicle, it means keeping a close eye on your fuel economy.  Any unexplained decrease in miles per gallon means you need to have your car serviced to recapture its peak efficiency.

2. Learn when to use the air conditioning-- and when to shut it off. If comfort permits, leave the AC off, especially at low speeds where an open window can be a more efficient way to stay cool.  At higher speeds, the AC is a better choice than open windows that create drag.  Also, shut off the AC for the last mile or so of travel to reduce drag on the engine.  Just use the fan to extract residual cooling capacity from the heat exchanger without using the AC compressor.

Now here are the more difficult suggestions to implement, but they can greatly improve your miles per gallon.

3. Change work hours-- to avoid congestion that decreases the miles per gallon you get from your vehicle.  Instead of plodding along, perhaps you could sail through normally congested areas more efficiently by missing the heavy commuter traffic.  All it takes is an altered work schedule.

4. Relocate to another area or change jobs-- to avoid traffic that is otherwise unavoidable.  Taking advantage of "counter-commute" or an office located in an area with little traffic congestion can make a big difference in your miles per gallon.  This isn't something I'd suggest based on its own merits alone, but if a change in location or employment is on the table already,  I would see about making it a more efficient commute while I was at it.

I hope these ideas for more miles per gallon have given you something to think about and something to put into practice.  I know they work well for me, and I hope you can make them work for you as well.  For more detail on any of these techniques, visit http://www.frugal-living-freedom.com/save-gas.html

It's been fun being a guest poster here at DIVORCEDDADFRUGALDAD.  It's one of my favorite blogs, so I am happy to contribute.  Good fortune to all my frugal friends out there.

--Clair Schwan